Kazami Family
The Family is one of the two most influential and strongest houses in the Ten Master Clans. Bearing the kanji for air, kaze (風) in their name, it is a family in which its members' lives are shrouded in learning the magic of air. Despite the system of checks and balances to prevent the possibility of mages losing control of themselves, placed by the creation of the Ten Master Clans, the Kazami family is gradually becoming too powerful, even among the powerful Ten Master Clans. With Erika Kazami, Akane Katsumi, and Kagami Kazami existing in the same family at the same time, it is believed that the Kazami may become an existence that will eclipse the Ten Master Clans. Their ever growing power and influence has caused other Ten Master Clans to be wary of their growth and status to the point that some of the other Family's are trying to weaken them by any means possible like providing arranged marraiges to the heirs. Background The "Kazami" that was produced at that time inevitably descended from two types of magician lineages. The first lineage was one where a person was born with The ability to control air that was strengthened. The other lineage was one where a person was born with a Magic Calculation Area that is warped by a strong power. These two heritages stand side by side and mix to form the Kazami known today. Even those who share the same blood display the two traits randomly. For example, Asuka Kazami inherited the traits of the former with''Air Elucidatof '', a form of Manipulation Magic that only she can use; Kagami represents the latter, as she did not acquire any form of Manipulation Magic, but instead a distinctive power from birth. As for Erika Kazami, it seems that she possessed both traits in her power as shown from her abilities of ''Kaze no Shihai , Niflheim, Kagerō no Fū '', and etc. The Kazami Family is the only family in the Ten Master Clans and 18 Assistant Houses that originated from the . There are other family's which have the Kanji, Kaze (風) in their name, such as 'Kazehaya', ‘Kazetori’, and ‘Kazeshi’ but they don't belong to the 28 Houses. Area of Influence The Yotsuba Family's influence encompasses specifically the Tōkai region and both the Gifu and Nagano prefectures. During the Master Clans Conference held every four years, the Head of the Yotsuba Family gives a report on the status of the regions it monitors. Volume 17, Chapter 5 The Yotsuba's influence throughout Japan is powerful and vast enough to allow the family to systematically alter every personal database at the civilian level. A feat that requires exceptional clearance at the highest level, which showcases how their influence is deep enough to intervene even at the highest level of government. It was noted that the Yotsuba only use their power from personal connections, only for self defense and retribution. It seems that they have no lust for power. Secrecy The Kazami Family keeps itself shrouded in secrecy and out of the public's eye unlike the Yotsuba Family c It is greatly implied that due to the extreme secrecy surrounding the Kazami Family, the general public doesn't know which Magicians are connected to the Kazami Family. It is implied that the only publicly known Magician from the Kazami Family is the current head of the Kazami Family, Kagami Kazami and possible heir, Akane Katsumi. From a policy of independence if portrayed positively, or the policy of being self-centered, if portrayed negatively that the Kazami adopted, they have always adopted the stance of not caring about what other Houses do. It has been stated by Katsuto that because of the high level of secrecy surrounding the Kazmai, nobody knows what they've done or plan to do. Residencies In Tokyo, there are small houses for most of the Kazami members to live in. Near the Main House, there is a complex which is the residence of the Kuroba Twins' grandmother, Yotsuba Yume, younger sister of Yotsuba Genzou, Tatsuya and Miyuki’s deceased grandfather, as well as aunt to the current Family Head. Main House The Main House conceals the address of the Old Fourth Research Institute. Due to the high confidentiality of the Old Fourth Research Institute, only the name is known, and the address is not known even to the highest government and military officials. As the Yotsuba Family had inherited the facility, they went around literally erasing the memory of anyone who knew this secret, completely hiding the location. The Main House is a rather large building done in the style of a traditional Samurai residence. A description of an outsider's impression of the Yotsuba Main House as seen from outside of the gate. Compared to a typical residence it is certainly spacious. Even calling it a mansion does not feel like a misnomer. However, someone who looked at the grand mansions of those like the Saegusa Family and Ichijou Family would probably be rather surprised by its simple snug appearance. The Yotsuba do not care about the spaciousness of their house. Because the Yotsuba Family, who maintain a systematic policy of secrecy, would never invite a large number of outsiders as guests. Perhaps they think a grand mansion would only be an encumbrance. Volume 8, Chapter 1 In contrast to the Eastern style of architecture for the exterior of the house, the big reception room is done in the Western style. There are even paintings of landscapes adorning the brightly hued walls, not reproductions either; but rather, these were original oil paintings. And the stately natural wood table in the middle of the room could easily seat over ten people. Volume 8, Chapter 5 The Audience Chamber gives off the impression of emptiness. This was possibly due to the fact that, instead of the space being occupied by the legs of over ten chairs, there are only the four legs of a sofa placed by a table; also, aside from the table and sofa, there are almost no furnishings, which appear to leave all too much space leftover in the room. Making the room feel unnecessarily vast was probably for the purpose of psychologically inducing a feeling of oppression. Members Based on the fact that they possess unique abilities unmatched by other families and have a select few but extremely powerful group of Magicians, the Yotsuba Family is a special entity within the Ten Master Clans. Unlike other families that possess similar magic that is inherited through blood relations, the Yotsuba Family doesn't have Magicians that possess similar abilities, but instead unique ones. While possessing an aptitude for having Mental Interference Magic is an important quality for the Yotsuba Family Head to have, it isn't an absolute condition. Up to the previous Family Head, Yotsuba Eisaku, he was highly versatile in Mental Interference Magic, but Miya who had the powerful ‘Mental Design Interference’ Magic hadn't been selected to be the next Family Head, instead Maya was chosen. Volume 16, Chapter 2 The 28 Houses were originally conceived to be Side Branches that stem from the development of Magicians, however, the Yotsuba Family are the only ones to have adopted a Side Branch System. Volume 11, Chapter 15 Families : *'Yotsuba' (Head Family) **Shiba (司馬) - (Elder) **Shinonome (東雲) - (Elder) ***Mashiba (真柴) - (Branch Family) ***Shiba (司波) - (Branch Family) ***Shiiba (椎葉) - (Branch Family) ***Kuroba (黒羽) - (Branch Family) ***Shizuka (静) - (Branch Family) ***Shibata (新発田) - (Branch Family) ***Mugura (武倉) - (Branch Family) ***Tsukuba (津久葉) - (Branch Family) The Yotsuba Family currently possesses one of the strongest Magicians in the modern era. Yotsuba Maya is known throughout the world as the "Demon Lord of the Far East", the "Midnight Queen", and is the current Head of the Yotsuba Family. Volume 3, Chapter 4 Elders 長老 (素体) *Shiba Kuuya (司馬 空故) - (Deceased) *Shinonome Maaya (東雲 真彩) - (Deceased) Great Grandfathers Generation 曾祖父世代 (第四研設立接改姓) *Yotsuba Kazuma (四葉 和真) - (Deceased) *Higashiyama Motohide (東山 元英) - (Deceased) *Yotsuba Ayame (四葉 彩夢) - (Deceased) *Yotsuba Hyouma (四葉 兵馬) - (Deceased) *Yotsuba Yuuma (四葉 勇魔) - (Deceased) Grandfathers Generation 祖父世代 (四葉家庭立) *Yotsuba Genzou (四葉 元造) - (First Main House Head, Deceased) *Abe Yasuyo (阿部 泰夜) - (Deceased) *Yotsuba Eisaku (四葉 英作) - (Second Main House Head, Deceased) *Kuroba Juuzou (黒羽 重蔵) - (Former Branch House Head, Deceased) *Yotsuba Yume (四葉 夢女) *Yotsuba Motosuke (四葉 元輔) - (Deceased) *Yuuki Fuyuhiko (結城 冬彦) - (Deceased) *Tsukuba Ayaka (津久葉 彩歌) - (Former Branch House Head) Parents Generation 父母世代 *Mashiba Shinsuke (真柴 真佐) - (Branch House Head) *Shiba Tatsurou (司波 龍郎 旧姓・司馬) *Yotsuba Miya (四葉 深夜) - (1st Wife, Deceased) *Shiba Sayuri (司波 小百合) - (2nd Wife) *Yotsuba Maya (四葉 真夜) - (Third Main House Head) *Shiiba Hidetsugu (椎葉 英嗣) - (Branch House Head) *Kuroba Mitsugu (黒羽 貢) - (Branch House Head) *Shinonome Aya (東雲 亜弥) - (Deceased) *Shizuka Haruto (静 陽人) - (Branch House Head) *Shibata Osamu (新発田 理) - (Branch House Head) *Mugura Asumi (武倉 藍霞) - (Branch House Head) *Tsukuba Touka (津久葉 冬歌) - (Branch House Head) *Andou Seiji (安東 青司) Candidate Generation 候補世代 (次代当主) *Shiba Tatsuya (司波 達也) - (Fiancé of the Next Main House Head) *Shiba Miyuki (司波 深雪) - (Next Main House Head) *Kuroba Ayako (黒羽 亜夜子) *Kuroba Fumiya (黒羽 文弥) *Shibata Katsushige (新発田 勝成) *Tsukuba Yuuka (津久葉 夕歌)